


Dream Me Awake

by rachelarcher



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Zombie Apocalypse, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-17
Updated: 2016-04-17
Packaged: 2018-06-02 21:25:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6583063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rachelarcher/pseuds/rachelarcher
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just a drabble.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dream Me Awake

**Author's Note:**

> Dont own the characters. Don't own the songs.

Daryl Dixon had always dreamed of getting out of Lumpkin County, Georgia, the dream didn’t come true until he was almost 25, when his band finally made it to low level super-stardom. Daryl sung, his brother Merle played the drums, their cousin Jesse played base guitar, and their best bud Abraham Ford played lead guitar. They had a piano player, who also could play a mean fiddle, Glenn Rhee who traveled with them. They didn’t have a big fancy bus, they toured most of Georgia in a old shag carpeted van, with equipment on the top under a tarp. 

The night that changed everything they played a gig in King County, Georgia. A backwoods nice town, where everyone knew everybody. Right away a pretty girl with loose brown curls in a white summer dress with red polka dots on it caught his attention. She wasn’t really dancing with anyone, more like just enjoying the music. 

He knew about every song there was to know, and most of the songs people requested they could play pretty easily, tonight the town’s Deputy Sheriff waltzed in, spun the curly headed girl around, kissing her forehead then waltzed up to the set list, and whispered something to Glenn, who only nodded, and smiled at him, then he was back out the door, after kissing the lips of a woman who looked too skinny to Daryl.

The second woman joined the sway dancing of his curly headed beauty. They were holding hands, laughing slightly, the skinny one looked older. Her face in a level of distaste for the whole affair. Glenn took the stage, and moved slightly in front of Daryl. “This is a special request, for the birthday girl, Lily Walsh, from her brother, Rick and her sister in law, Lori. Apparently this is her song with her husband, Shane.” 

Then Glenn turned towards Daryl and said, “Ya’ll play, ‘Hey Good Lookin’, the Hank version.”

Daryl felt slightly let down that she was married, but her eyes remained on him. A twinkle he couldn’t quite shake. His mind supplied the fact that it was probably a loveless marriage. “How old ‘re ya Lily?” Daryl asked as the band started.

“Eighteen.” Too damn young to be married, Daryl decided.

“A’ight, darlin’. Ya ready?” She nodded, and winked at him, as the band started up. Singing this song to her, shit, it was too damn easy. “Hey, hey, good lookin'/Whatcha got cookin'?/How's about cookin'/Somethin' up with me?/Hey, sweet baby,/Don't you think maybe/We could find us/A brand new recipe?/I got a Hot-Rod Ford/And a two-dollar bill/And I know a spot/Right over the hill/There's soda pop/And the dancin's free/So if you wanna have fun/Come along with me/Say, hey, good lookin'/Whatcha got cookin'?/How's about cookin'/Somethin' up with me?/I'm free and ready/So we can go steady/How's about savin'/All your time for me?/No more lookin'/I know I've been tooken/How's about keepin'/Steady company?/I'm gonna throw/My date-book over the fence/And find me one/For five or ten cents/I'll keep it/'Til it's covered with age/'Cause I'm writin' your name/Down on every page/Say hey, good lookin'/Whatcha got cookin'?/How's about cookin'/Somethin' up with me?”

When the song wrapped up, her eyes were still on him, his voice was like gravel, he looked back at the band and smiled at Merle, already he could see the realization forming in Merle’s face. “Oh, no, baby brother.” Merle muttered, shaking his head.

Daryl laughed to himself, then said, “Do ‘Are You Gonna Be My Girl, Jet, now, and no back talk.” Already he was turning around, they had three songs left they could do before they had to stop playing, so Daryl was going to make this the best night he could, and he smiled like a predator at her. The song wasn’t one he normally would play and it often stretched his vocal range, just in speed alone, but shit, no way was he not asking her.

She was swaying to the music even as he started. “So 1, 2, 3, take my hand and come with me/ because you look so fine / and i really wanna make you mine./ I say you look so fine / that I really wanna make you mine. /Oh, 4,5,6 c'mon and get your kicks /now you dont need that money /when you look like that, do ya honey./Big black boots, /long brown hair, /she's so sweet /with her get back stare./Well I could see, /you home with me, /but you were with another man, yea!/I know we, /ain't got much to say, /before I let you get away, yea!/I said, are you gonna be my girl?/Well, so 1,2,3, take my hand and come with me/because you look so fine /and i really wanna make you mine./I say you look so fine /that I really wanna make you mine./Oh, 4,5,6 c'mon and get your kicks /now you dont need that money/with a face like that, do ya./Big black boots, /long brown hair, /she's so sweet /with her get back stare./Well I could see, /you home with me, /but you were with another man, yea!/I know we, /ain't got much to say, /before I let you get away, yea!/I said, are you gonna be my girl?/Oh yea. Oh yea. C'mon!/I could see,/you home with me, /but you were with another man, yea!/I know we, /ain't got much to say, /before I let you get away, yea!/Uh, be my girl./Be my girl./Are you gonna be my girl?! Yea” As the song wrapped up, he moved off stage, letting Glenn take vocals.

He caught her by the arm and smiled at her, “Lily?”

“Yea,” She breathed it at him. “My boss is gone.” She motioned to the bathroom. “Let’s go.” 

Before Daryl could stop her she grabbed his hand, and they were out the door of the bar. Merle’s irritated face burned into his mind. Daryl laughed, letting her lead him out.

-/-

The hotel was questionable at best, but the way she smiled at him made him forget any reservations he might have, and hell he was raised in a shack in the woods. “Carol, don’t give me that fucking condescending look, we both know who Shane brings down here, matter of fact, charge it on his fuckin tab. Give me the key.” 

The woman appraised him, made a sour face then handed her the key to the room. Lily giggled, once more grabbing his wrist and dragging him back out of the main office and down to room 22. Daryl chuckled, as she paused, throwing her arms around him, linking thier lips together, opening the door was so complicated, with their lips together, she managed somehow, them both spilling into the room.

“Daryl, that’s my name.” He offered her as she threw her dress off, lips once more on his, working his clothes off of him, frenzied, rough, he threw her on the bed, and slipped up next to her, plastering his body to hers, kissing her lips until they were unmistakably red and on the verge of bruised, he bit her neck making her jerk.

-/-

Daryl vaguely remembered the neighbors hitting the walls and telling them to quiet down, he was alone and his head was pounding, visions of the pretty girl, dancing in the dim light of the television, her dress on the floor, his hands all over her. He swallowed hard, remembering the glint of her wedding ring in the limelight. 

Merle’s face was in his a moment later. “Proud of yourself, Darlynna?”

“Fuck off, Merle.” Daryl snarled.

“Uhhu, we gotta get our shit and get outta here, brother, that little girl, she’s married to a Marine, let’s go.” Merle snarled.

Past Merle, Daryl could see Glenn, Jesse, and Abraham. “She took your shirt.” Glenn laughed.

“Not only that,” Abraham laughed, “She marked ya up pretty good.”

“And, ‘ah bet ya left marks on her too.” Jesse sneered.

“All the more reason, to get our shit and go, fellas, now.” Merle snarled. “First time he fucks someone on the road, and it just so happens she’s fuckin’ married…”

-/-

“Thanks for watching the kids last night, momma.” Lily Walsh hugged her mom around her neck, then made to dart of up the stairs, but was caught by her mom. 

“Honey, don’t make this a habit, Rick gave ya last night, now go on up and clean yourself up and look presentable for your husband.” Her momma frowned at her, but Lily just brushed past her.

“Callison, Addison, where are you two?” She called. Callison, her three year old son darted forward, followed by her two year old son Addison, they were wrapped around her as she climbed the stairs of the Walsh family home, headed to the bathroom. She started the tub, and pulled both boys in. 

Marrying Shane at 15 had been a joke, then, but now she realized how fucked she was. Three years ago Rick and Lori got married, they were six years older than her, and Rick at the time had already been accepted onto the force, Shane on the other hand had joined the Marines, he came home on leave, and asked her to marry him. 

Then just to seal the deal, he convinced her parents he would always take care of her, and for a month she believed Shane. They got married in a whirlwind when he was home from basic. She found out she was pregnant soon after, she managed to finish high school, and by 18 both of Shane’s parents were dead and they were living in Bonnefoy the house that Shane’s family had built before the Civil War.

It was much too big for her, and gated, and everything was perfectly manicured, and the whole business made her sick. Today, Shane would be coming home, for a week… Which meant, oh, yes, she and Rick were taking the kids camping this week. Shane would miraculously back out at the last second saying there were things that had to be taken care of at Bonnefoy, and Lori would befall a headache. One of the ones she can’t seem to shake until her husband’s best friend’s dick is in her.

Lily is not jealous, more irritated that Rick has not figured it out. Sinking below the water, the boys splashing around her, she lets her head float, thoughts of Daryl, his mouth on her, kisses, open mouth, hot, each and every whispered promise, of I will be back for you, Lily, I swear. Still on her flesh like a veil of protection.

-/-

Two years passed, Lily found out she was pregnant after Shane re-deployed, and Lori found out she was pregnant as well. If Rick had suspicions about what had happened to lead the the pregnancies he never said anything, only accepted what was in front of him.They played their roles easily enough, Shane wanted no part of naming this little boy, as he had the two before.

-/-

She never thought Shane was stupid, nor did she lie to him, the slap across her face that jarred her brain and landed her on her butt made her glare at him. All three of their sons open mouthed and worried about their momma. Shane hauled her up by her shirt front, feet dangling off the ground. “Ya made me look like a fuckin joke, darlin’.” He snarled. “But, by the enda tha week, yer gonna be a joke, and yer fuckin’ brother.” Shane dropped her on her ass then, laughing when she rubbed at her cheek. “That boy ain’t mine, don’t look like our others, nah, he looks like the singer from that fuckin band, blonde hair and blue eyes, bitch.” 

A car in the front yard let them know Lori, Rick and the kids were there. “Hey, brother!” Rick greeted Shane, Lily rolled her eyes, gathering up the packs.

“Hey, man, sorry, looks like I ain’t gonna be able to go this weekend, my… Lily didn’t finish everything financially for Bonnefoy, gotta tie up some loose ends.” Shane grunted his apology.

Rick looked up the main steps in time to see Lily, with Addison and Hunter in her arms, a backpack on her back, and a duffle over her shoulder, Callison holding her hand. Rick saw the bruise already forming on her cheek. “Yeah, brother, Lori has one of those migraines, so, looks like it's the Grimes siblings versus nature, right Lil.” 

Lily smiled at her brother, as he darted up the stairs, grabbing her bags. She only nodded at him, then moved down the steps, following him. Shane stopped her to kiss her and the boys, then leaned in close to her ear and whispered. “I am leaving it all to you, Bonnefoy, all of it, and full custody of the kids. Lori is leaving Rick the kids, but she want’s their house.” He kissed her lips again, then watched her nod, before she climbed into the car with Rick.

“I’ll check on Lori, if I get done and she feels better then, we should be able to join ya’ll.” Shane kissed Carl’s head then little Judith’s, then hugged Rick. “Go on, now, brother, get outta here.”

-/-

“How long?” Rick asked, the five youngsters asleep in the back.

“How long what, Ricky?” She snapped, unbuckling her seat belt, and laying the seat down in the SUV.

“How long has him and Lori been… together, and how long has he been hitting you.” Rick growled back.

“Him and Lori, the last three years, him hitting me, since we got married, and he realized I couldn’t be controlled.” She yawned, pulling a blanket from her duffle.

“Always thought there was something there with Lori and Shane.” Rick pinched his nose, and sighed.

“Yea, well if we are lucky we are getting left, and guess what, the ass has decided to leave me Bonnefoy.” She yawned again, pulling the blanket around her.

“Means Lori wants the Grime’s house, where we have been living out on Cedar.” Rick tapped his chin.

“We got the better deal.” She muttered, falling asleep.

-/-

“Whatcha doin’ Darlynna?” Merle asked, kicking his brothers foot off his arm rest in the van.

“Workin’ on a song, that’s what.” Daryl snarled. 

“Girl still on your mind?” Glenn asked, watching the road ahead. “Been two years, man.” 

Jesse and Abraham both perked up at that, interested in listening. “Maybe.”

“Tell us about the song.” Glenn begged.

“Well, I got the chorus, need tha rest of it, but something like this.” Daryl strummed a few lines then started, “T-shirt right there...Your hair messed up like a Guns-N-Roses video...Oh oh so hot… Still got it up in my head… You were moving around in the TV light… I ain't ever seen anything like… Your dress, my floor… The way you wore my T-shirt…” Daryl paused, “I know how I want the second chorus to go…” He paused, scribbled some things on his pad then, “We were walking up the stairs… With the neighbors saying "keep it down"... But it's hard to unlock the door… When you're making out… You've been saying that we've gotta quit doin' this… So why you leanin' in for one more kiss… And pretty soon you're sliding off what you've got on… And slippin' into my” Daryl paused, “Then it goes back to the chorus, not sure how to start it. Any ideas?”

The boys looked at each other for a moment, then Jesse had him repeat what he had. Jesse grabbed his note pad and started writing. “Try this, knew a girl once, used’ta meet up with her some. Know it doesn’t match exactly what you were sayin, but that girl stole you Guns N Roses T-shirt, gonna think she realizes it's about her.” Jesse laughed.

Daryl looked down at the pad, and tried what Jesse had scribbled. “Get off work and we meet down at our spot… We had a patio with a view of a parking lot… It was two for one and four for two… Had Christmas lights in the middle of June… All hung up like I was on you…” 

“Hey,” Merle laughed, punching the other two Dixon’s in the shoulders. “That’s pretty good.”

“I’ll loop the last verse, and run the chorus heavy at the end.” Daryl was marking things all over the paper, and deciding chords to play in, while Glenn pulled them into Atlanta. 

“How long you gonna miss her?” Glenn asked finally.

“Ya ova Maggie Greene from Athen’s yet?” Daryl snapped.

Glenn grew quiet after that. They all did. “Maybe we can get some radio play with that?” Abraham asked finally.

“Yeah, cause the Walking Dead is that kinda band, we normally play covers, and metal.” Glenn jested. 

Daryl rolled his eyes, “Need ta get a foot in the door some how.”

-/-

Lily stretched out on the side of the creek, her butt on the pebbles, six year old Carl, five year old Callison, and three year old Addison, 18 month old Hunter, and 15 month old Judith in front of her. The bikini hugged her curves, Rick behind her was cleaning fish, muttering under his breath.

Grief was a strange thing, Rick was apparently grieving the potential loss of his relationship with Lori, while Lily had nothing to be sad about, she never had Shane to herself in the first place, never any whispered I love you’s, or rushed kisses, to avoid her daddy catching them, no courtship, just marriage. Loveless and short. It was over before it started. Something she had known for a while.

Rick, on the other hand, had seriously loved Lori. Three days in the wilderness, with just the radio on had been nice for both of them, the five kids between them, and no one to worry them. Shane was a perfectionist and Lori was afraid of nature. Suddenly a familiar voice hit the radio. “Rick, turn that up.” She almost screamed, darting up and grabbing the radio, cradling it to her.

A voice broke through the static, “This is actually about my first, and only one night stand, I swear, gave my heart ta that little girl, singin my soul out ta her on that stage in tha middle of nowhere Georgia.” Daryl paused, “Little minx kept my favorite shirt, Guns N Roses, Appetite for Destruction Tour…” He paused again, “So this if for ya, little darlin’ called T-Shirt.” The song that followed made her laugh.

Rick even smiled, “Got a song wrote about ya.” Then he saw the face she was making. 

“Shane’ll beat the shit outta me.” She moaned, a frown on her face. “If he don’t leave me.”

The song ended, then the announcer said, “The Walking Dead, ya’ll, they are gonna be live in Athens next Saturday, after a show in Atlanta tonight. Anything to add boys?”

A voice she didn’t recognize said, “If you're one of our girls, please show the fuck up.” 

“Can’t say that on the radio, dumbass.” A second voice said.

“I just did.” Then the station started playing other country songs.

“Rick?” The question was open.

“Well, we were supposed to camp until next Monday, might as well go to their show in Athens, we can swing by and see Maggie and Beth, they are the only cousins we got.” Rick grumbled.

-/-

They loaded up the SUV and were on the way to Athen’s when Rick’s phone rang, but he couldn’t get it out of his pocket, then two seconds later Lily’s. The voice on the other end of both lines was familiar, Morgan Jones was the Sheriff of King County. “Rick, Lillian, need to talk to you both.”

“Go ahead, Morgan, you're on speaker.” Lily said it, then smiled at Rick.

“This ain’t easy to say, at all. It seems like Shane and Lori were in an accident, well that ain’t the right word. Rick, a disturbance call to your house came through two nights ago, this is the first time I have had either of y'all pick up but I knew you were camping this week.” Morgan paused, knowing he wasn’t making much sense. “Seems like there was a disagreement of sorts, and Shane lost his temper.”

“Shane was leaving me.” Lily offered. “Wanted Lori to go off with him.”

“From what I have gathered, Lori wasn’t going to go through with it, she was pregnant and wanted to stay.” Morgan breathed. “But Shane wouldn’t have it, he shot her and himself, she looks like she might pull through, but…”

“But, I need to come home, right?” Rick guessed.

“If you could, by the sounds ya both knew about their affair.” Morgan sighed.

“I won’t be home until after we go to Athens.” Rick grumbled. “Got some family to see, and my sister’s… well… Lily has something she needs to take care of.”

-/-

“We are a cover band, and we have a set list, and a handful of songs, but you wanna play this shit tonight?” Abraham was looking at Daryl like he lost his fucking mind.

“Yeah, man, I do.” Daryl snapped. “Trust me.”

“You think she’s gonna be out there, this is some of the shit we played that night.” Jesse guessed.

“Part of it, another part is that Maggie is coming, and she loves Good Charlotte.” Glenn grumbled.

“So what are we playin’?” Merle snapped.

“We are playing… I Just Wanna Live, Keep Your Hands Off My Girl, and Predictable.” Daryl grumbled. He was starting to get antsy, and he had no clue why. They had never booked another gig in King County, and two years was too fucking long in his opinion, shit, almost three years now. 

“Daryl, there is some girl here for you.” Eugene Porter, their road manager told him. “She is wearing a specific t-shirt.” 

Daryl was up and out the door of the crappy tour bus they had before he had time to think, the next thing he knew a fury of brown curls was in his arms, and her face in his neck. “Lily.” He growled out her name.

“Daryl!” She laughed, holding him closer. “Am I really your only one night stand.”

“Yea, and I’d like to think of that more as a first date.” Daryl’s lips found hers and he felt her tears on his face, as they moved together. “What’s wrong darlin’?”

“I can’t stay for the show, I have to go back to King County and sort some shit out… Shane’s dead, he killed himself, and Lori is in the hospital, but there is someone you have to meet first.” She was dragging Daryl with her towards a older SUV. “After you left, I found out about him.” She explained, “And didn’t know how to contact you.”

Daryl had been at a loss as to how to find Lily himself, and going town to town didn’t seem right. At the time he had not even been sure he wanted to see her again. She opened the back door, and pulled him forward. “This is Hunter, and he looks like you.”

Daryl just looked at the little boy, no denying that kid was his. Same sandy blond hair, same blue eyes and ridiculous beauty mark. Daryl caught her up in his arms and kissed her. “Take care of what ya need to, I’ll come to King County after this show.”

“Come to Bonnefoy, trust me you can’t miss it.” She kissed him, slow and sweet, then he disappeared. She waved after him a moment. Then climbed into the passenger seat. 

-/-

Daryl wasn't sure why Bonnefoy was, but he knew his future was there. Maybe making it wasn’t leaving Georgia after all.


End file.
